B.C. Transit settles with bus union, one-day strike averted

B.C. Transit announced late Wednesday afternoon it had reached a tentative agreement with Canadian Auto Workers Local 333 that would bring to an end the long-running labour dispute.

Job action will end immediately and regular transit service will be returned to normal as soon as possible. With a tentative deal in place, the union agreed to cancel its plan for a one-day full shutdown of the transit system next Tuesday.

Ratification of the agreement by CAW members and the B.C. Transit board is expected to take place in the next few days.

The major issue from the union’s standpoint, the disposition of the newly purchased Vicinity shuttle buses and the pay and training for drivers who would operate them, has essentially been taken off the table. The company decided to move the trial of the Vicinity bus to areas outside of Greater Victoria.